When the Trade Deadline was approaching, Boston Red Sox CBO Craig Breslow sniffed out a chance to fill a couple of roster holes. That included a major splash move, by trading with the Baltimore Orioles for three-time All-Star and 2023 Silver Slugger at catcher, Adley Rutschman.
It wasn’t a cheap move either. The Red Sox sent a haul back to Baltimore, including catcher Carlos Narvaez, Red Sox No. 2 prospect Anthony Eyanson, MLB Pipeline No. 4 organizational prospect Kyson Witherspoon, and two other minor league players. So, it’s safe to say much was expected of Rutschman.
However, Rutschman wasn’t actually able to deliver much. From the moment he was traded to Boston, Rutschman battled injuries. That ended up hurting him offensively, and he hit just .222 with a .688 OPS in 32 regular season games with the Red Sox. He’d go 1-for-8 in the postseason.
The Boston Red Sox Are Being Warned About Adley Rutschman and His Contract
Because the Red Sox gave up a haul for Adley Rutschman, the feeling was that he wasn’t going to be a rental player. However, he’s not on a long-term deal, which means he very well could end up being a rental player if the Red Sox aren’t careful.
For now, Rutschman remains under team control for 2027. After that, he’s currently set to hit free agency.
However, as one veteran scout said, per MassLive, because of what they gave up, they’ll have to extend. It’s not a matter of a choice anymore, because of what they ended up giving up. That’s whether they actually want to or not.
“I think they painted themselves into a corner with what they gave up,” the scout said. “They have to extend him.”
The reality for the Red Sox and Rutschman is that injuries are an issue. For two years in a row now, he’s failed to play in at least 100 regular season games. That’s not one issue that keeps popping up, either, but a long string of issues. In 2024, it was a hand. In 2025, it was both obliques. Then, in 2026, it was ankle inflammation, a concussion, and wrist inflammation that forced IL stints. He’d later play through a hyperextended elbow.
On top of that, Rutschman has seen his stats decline as he’s battled those injuries. He hasn’t had an OPS above .800 since 2023. That was also the last season he had more than 20 home runs or more than 30 doubles.
Red Sox CBO Craig Breslow on Adley Rutschman
Craig Breslow addressed what the Red Sox think of Adley Rutschman at the team’s end-of-season press conference. That is, that he’s a good player who fits a need. However, he didn’t want to discuss any potential contract extension.
“When we acquired Adley, we did so because he was a really good player at a position of need,” Breslow said. “We felt like he could add to our 2026 outlook. Obviously, he’s under control for 2027, which is great. Beyond that, it’s best just to keep conversations between Adley and me.”
The Red Sox have had issues at the catcher position in recent years. Carlos Narvaez, who was traded for Rutschman, had flashed talent in 2025 as a rookie but had also had major regression since then. Prior to him, there was little to no offense coming from Connor Wong, Christian Vasquez, Sandy Leon, Blake Swihart, A.J. Pierzynski, and more.
In fact, arguably the last great offensive season from a Red Sox catcher was in 2013, when Jarrod Saltalamacchia had an .804 OPS. The last Red Sox player to make the All-Star team was Victor Martinez in 2010. The hope is that Rutschman will change that.
“What I would say is that Adley stepped in as our primary catcher in the middle of the season — which is not easy to do, especially when pitching is a strength of our team — and immediately endeared himself to the pitching staff, the coaching staff and the clubhouse,” Breslow said. “Just a really high-quality teammate and leader.”
For all of MLB, the future of contracts remains up in the air. The CBA negotiations hang over everything. It’s just another factor that everyone needs to consider before making a final decision on extensions.
Red Sox Warned About Adley Rutschman Situation by Veteran Scout